


The Parting Glass

by thephilosophersapprentice



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Ensemble Cast, Everyone is sassy, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Music, all my faves will sing and I will not regret anything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 22:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29125161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephilosophersapprentice/pseuds/thephilosophersapprentice
Summary: The adventurers regroup at Telma's bar and meet Twilight's information network.
Relationships: Rusl (Legend of Zelda) & Twilight (Linked Universe), Telma (Legend of Zelda) & Twilight (Linked Universe), Twilight & Warriors (Linked Universe)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 68





	The Parting Glass

Small, cozy, clean, and just as much of a hole in the wall as ever. Telma’s hadn’t changed.

Twilight inhaled the scent of burning pine wood as it mingled with the smell of cooking meat and spilled whiskey. It could be overwhelming, sure, but it was familiar and reassuring after all the hours he’d spent here poring over maps, researching with Telma’s friends, and resting between journeys.

“Is that our Link?” shouted Telma, throwing up her arms in mock despair.

Twilight grinned. “Come back just like an old bad rupee!”

“Good to see you again, rabble-rouser,” Telma grinned. “Who are your friends?”

“Believe it or not, we’re all named Link,” Twilight smirked.

“That stretches the boundaries of belief, even if every other boy you meet seems to be a Link,” Telma commented, swiping a rag over the bar and tossing it at him. Twilight caught it and wiped down a table, shouting introductions as he did, kicking out a chair for Time.

“Who’s here right now?” Twilight asked as he made his way up to the bar. “Wassail[1] all round, please.”

Telma picked up the mugs and prepared a pot for the hot cider. “Non-alcoholic?”

“Please.”

Telma filled the pot and set it over the brazier. “Shad’s in Castle Town. Auru’s out. Rusl too, though I expect he’ll be back in a few days, if you feel like waiting that long.”

“Pity, I was hoping to catch him here.” Twilight shifted and stretched.

“Ashei’s here, in the back room. You’re a bit early for a meeting… nosing around for trouble again?”

Twilight grinned, exposing his teeth for once. It was a human habit he’d fallen out of during the time he’d spent as a wolf; to animals, bared teeth were always a threat. This time, he was threatening whatever monsters had endangered his home. “You know me.”

Telma smirked. “I do. Nine spiced hot ciders, coming right up!”

Twilight returned the rag and walked back to the table he’d chosen and sat down next to Wind. “It’ll be a bit, but Telma’s wassail is worth the wait. As is the information Telma’s friends can give us. Their help was invaluable to me on my quest.”

Time nodded slowly. “You have an information network?”

Twilight laughed. “Them and the cats.” Time rolled his eye. The rest of their group simply passed over the perceived joke.

Warriors reached over and messed up Twilight’s hair worse than it already was. Damn, it was getting long… he’d have to either cut it or tie it back somehow.

“I wouldn’t have thought you had it in you,” Warriors laughed. “A bar? The abstainer?”

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up,” Twilight retorted, shoving Warriors off him. He didn’t bother to bring up that the bar was the cover for a safehouse, or that he’d had alcohol in the past but it simply had no attraction for him. The captain was an extrovert. Twilight wasn’t—he could be a people person when the need called, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t going to spend time in crowded rooms just to enjoy the atmosphere.

“Link!” Ashei roared, storming in from the back room.

“Ashei!” Link shouted back, spinning around in his chair and exchanging playful punches with her.

Ashei looked the group over keenly. “And here I took you for the lone wolf type. These your friends?”

Twilight nodded and introduced everyone again. “We’re all named Link, hence the nicknames.”

Ashei stared at him. “You’re joking.” Twilight made eye contact. “Screw you and your poker face,” Ashei said, shoving Twilight out of his chair and sitting in it.

Twilight rolled his eyes and snagged a chair from another table. It was getting a bit crowded, but Twilight didn’t care. “Heard of any trouble brewing around lately?” he asked.

Ashei rapped her nails on the table, looking pensive. “Not so much. It’s been quiet.”

“Too quiet?”

Ashei nodded. “I don’t like it, Link.”

“How are Yetta and Yetto, by the way?”

“They’re doing good. At least the monsters aren’t in the house, this time.”

Twilight nodded thoughtfully. “Tracks?”

Ashei nodded, pursing her lips.

“So not the usual snow monsters then,” Twilight said. “Those don’t leave tracks.” He turned to the rest of the table, his face grim. “Monsters out of their usual haunts. Sound familiar?”

“Unfortunately yes,” Time said.

“So you’ve had experience with this sort of thing?” Ashei looked from one to another of them.

“Not just displaced in space. We have reason to think they might be from different eras.” Twilight told her.

Ashei swore. Wind looked impressed. Twilight fixed him with a severe glance. “Don’t even think about it.”

Wild promptly repeated Ashei’s words. Twilight’s forehead thumped against the table.

“Spiced cider’s hot!” Telma announced. Twilight peeled himself up off the table and went up to the bar for their drinks.

* * *

The wassail was wonderful, as always—especially a relief after travelling for so long through cold weather and rain. Twilight’s system was still adjusted to Ordon’s heat, and even bundled up like Sky he even now felt the chill. A hot bath would be nice, too.

There were rooms above the bar not open to the public. Twilight might offer Telma payment, but she’d refuse, and the force of her personality would eventually make him back down. A hot bath was doable. Later, he’d slide some rupees under the tip jar for Telma to find once he was off travelling again.

It was nice to be somewhere familiar, even if Rusl wasn’t due back for a while yet. Twilight had been too tested in his adventures to lie to himself: he missed his foster family. If only Midna’s portals were still active. That would have made it so easy to slip away and see Uli and Colin.

Strong arms wrapped around him from behind, the scent of weapons oil only making itself known at that moment. Twilight gasped in surprise, reaching up to grip the elbow of the person hugging him. “Rusl!”

Rusl squeezed him gently before letting him go. “Good to see you again, Link.”

Once released, Twilight stood up and gave Rusl a hug. Rusl looked him up and down. “Did you get taller?”

Twilight shook his head. “I think that’s it.”

“You’re so resigned to it,” Rusl teased. “Who are your friends?”

Twilight sighed. “Maybe we should wait for Auru and Shad to get here. I’ve already introduced everyone twice.”

“Auru and Shad _are_ here,” the older explorer said, shutting the door behind him.

“Everyone, meet the Resistance. They helped me break into Hyrule Castle,” Twilight said. A few groans and scattered laughter met the proclamation.

“Shout it all the way out to Gerudo Mesa, why don’t you,” Ashei complained humorously.

Twilight looked over the size of the group—now completely crowded off their table—before glancing up to Telma. “Can we use the back room?”

“Who else do I keep it for?” Telma retorted. “Go ahead. You know where it is.”

Twilight led the way back to the private ground floor room, out of sight from the main area of the bar, the familiar battered map of Hyrule pinned to the single large table. He glanced at the map. “What’ve we got?”

Auru exhaled. “I swear you’ve got a nose for trouble like none other. You’re a stormy petrel, young Link.” He moved to the map. “Bulblins are restless. They retreated out to the desert after their king’s defeat at the castle, but there have been reports they’ve gotten close to Hylian settlements again, though never close enough to actually have contact.”

“Ashei told me about Snowpeak already. Monster tracks that don’t belong,” Twilight said, receiving a nod from Ashei in confirmation. He turned to Rusl. “Bokoblins?”

“No sightings in Ordon or Faron, as far as I’ve heard,” Rusl said. “But the goats are getting restless again. We haven’t had you around to wrestle them to the ground when they get free.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not losing my touch,” Twilight snarked.

“Nothing central yet,” Auru said. “No sightings in Hyrule Field, no bulblins blocking bridges. We have some time to plan and respond, at least.”

Twilight nodded, stretching. “What about the academic front?” he asked Shad. “Anything historically relevant?”

“Nothing comes to mind immediately, but I can research deeper,” Shad said. “By the way, thank you for putting in a word with the Queen, Link. Access to Hyrule Castle’s library! I would’ve never thought it possible.”

“It’s no more than we owed you,” Twilight said. “Your intelligence was invaluable.”

Shad smiled. “Still. Thank you.”

“Well, Twilight? It’s your call.” Time said. Warriors was staring at Twilight with something calculating in his eyes; Twilight ignored it for the time being.

“We need to gather more intelligence before we can move on to taking things out. Warriors, Hyrule, Sky—you’ll stay here in Castle Town. Talk to people, get the lay of the land. Wild, you’re the best prepared for the cold up in Snowpeak. You’ll go with Ashei.” It was hard to set it out like this—to trust other people to scout when he was used to doing it all himself—but there was no need to run himself ragged. “Time, you’re used to deep forest. You’ll be with Rusl—try to locate whatever monster camps you can without being seen. Wind, Four, Legend—I want you to scout Hyrule Field. I’ll be with Auru in the Gerudo Desert. Any evidence of monsters of any type, I want to know. Tracks, refuse, camps, beasts of burden, sightings.” Twilight moved on to detailing the monsters that the scouting teams were likely to encounter, glancing around at the group, a little surprised by the pride on Time’s face but more surprised by Warriors’ look of approval.

“And that’s about all,” he finished. “Just stay safe and don’t get stabbed.”

“Is that a common happening?” Rusl asked, fixing Twilight with a severe glance.

“I’m more worried about them stabbing each other than the risk of outside stabbings.”

“I would tell you not to do anything that would frighten your mother, but after I encouraged you last time I’m not one to talk.”

“Your mother?” Legend probed, clearly interested in getting the dirt on Twilight.

Twilight sighed exasperatedly. “Everyone, Rusl is my foster father.”

A small chorus of “oh!” and “that explains it.” Twilight rolled his eyes.

“So,” Auru said, “now that our business is concluded, what about a song to end the evening?”

“Good idea,” Rusl said, eyeing Twilight. Seven pairs of eyes honed in on him with intense eagerness. The eighth eye was averted as Time tried to hide a smirk.

Twilight flailed, trying to wave away the attention. “No, no no no, I don’t sing well enough for company!”

“But you _do_ sing, don’t you?” Ashei pointed out. Twilight stared at her in betrayal.

“You’ve sung Colin and Maeve to sleep enough times,” Rusl smirked.

“It can’t hurt to try, can it?” Shad said.

Twilight gave him a despairing glance. “Not you too!”

“Oh, I’d be delighted to get a lovely lullaby,” Legend said, grinning a predator’s smile.

“Pretty please with sugar,” the captain added, fluttering his eyelashes in imitation of a coy maiden.

“I hate you both,” Twilight muttered.

“He loves us really,” Warriors told the resistance, much to their amusement.

“Please?” Wind had his baton out, staring at Twilight with the look he’d never learned to resist.

“Ugh! Fine! I’ll do it, so long as we don’t have to listen to the captain’s caterwauling,” Twilight said, crumbling under Wind’s expression more than anything else. He stood up, and his mind went blank. Song requests, some of which Twilight had never heard before, were flying this way and that but none of them stuck.

Unbidden, a fragment of a song came to mind—something Auru had been teaching Shad as Twilight turned in for the night after a long day of planning and packing. Twilight began to sing.

“Of all the money that ere I had

I spent it in good company…”

The room quieted. Twilight took in a deep breath, thinking about the next phrase.

“And all the harm that ere I’ve done

Alas, it was to none but me…

And all I’ve done, for want of wit…”

He stumbled slightly, unsure of the words.

“To memory now I can’t recall…” He smiled at the irony, voice growing stronger.

“So fill to me the parting glass;

Good night and joy be to you all.

“Fill to me the parting glass

And drink a health, whate’er befall

Then gently rise and softly call:

‘Good night, and joy be to you all.’

“Of all the comrades that ere I had…”

Warriors joined in, harmonizing slightly on the next line. Twilight shot him a startled glance, but didn’t lose his place.

“They’re sorry for my going away,

And all the sweethearts that ere I had

They’d wish me one more day to stay.”

Warriors fell silent, letting Twilight take up the next verse.

“But since it fell unto my lot

That I should go and you should not

I’ll gently rise, and softly call:”

Auru’s bass and Shad’s tenor caught up the line. “’Good night and joy be to you all.’”

Warriors joined back in for the final chorus.

“So fill to me the parting glass

And drink a health, whate’er befall

Then gently rise and softly call:

‘Good night, and joy be to you all.’”

Twilight exhaled. “Glad that’s over with.”

“I’m surprised you knew that one,” Warriors put in. Twilight did _not_ like the gleam in the captain’s eye. “Are there any other secrets you’ve been keeping?”

“Like you’ve never had a friend who liked their privacy before,” Twilight huffed.

“There’s not a lot of privacy in a barracks.”

“Yet another reason I’m glad I never was in the royal guard.”

“I’m glad I don’t remember it,” Wild sassed.

“Oh, you _brat_ ,” Warriors growled.

“That was amazing!” Wind enthused. “You’ve gotta teach me that one! You have a great voice. I bet you’d be a great hand at singing shanties.”

“That’s enough singing for me for one day. Can I go to bed now?”

[1] Hot spiced apple cider. Named for the Saxon toast “Waes Haile!” – “Good health!”

**Author's Note:**

> "The Parting Glass" is a beautiful Irish song typically sung at the end of the night. Multiple versions are up on Youtube; my favorites are by The High Kings, The Longest Johns, and Hozier. It seemed like the sort of song Twilight would know, and its tone just fits so well with the ending of Twilight Princess.
> 
> Music is such an important element of culture and team building and it's so important to Zelda as a franchise, but we know very little about the folk songs of Hyrule. One day I might nudge my way into that niche and worldbuild stuff where I'm not supposed to. Maybe.


End file.
